1st Tropical Disturbance Of Season Tracked As Flooding Swamps FL
Sarasota, which saw significant flooding during Tuesday's historic, heavy rains, set a record for most rainfall in one hour, officials said. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for much of the lower peninsula, from Sarasota and Bradenton, southeast into the Miami area, until Thursday at 8 p.m. The low-pressure system Invest AL90, moving across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, is causing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. The NWS warned that excessive runoff from the rain could flood low-lying and flood-prone locations, such as those with poor drainage and urban areas. The rainfall started Monday night along parts of the west coast, with the worst of the weather pummeling Southwest Florida. The most rainfall in one hour was set in Sarasota. Despite potential development, heavy rainfall is expected across portions of the Florida peninsula over the next few days.
Опубликовано : 10 месяцев назад от Tiffany Razzano в Weather
The low-pressure system Invest AL90, moving across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, is currently stalled off shore of the Tampa Bay area and “producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms,” NHC forecasters said. Much of the lower peninsula, from Sarasota and Bradenton, which saw historic rains, southeast into the Miami area, is under a flood watch through Thursday at 8 p.m. with more wet weather expected across Central and South Florida over the next few days, the National Weather Service said.
• Also Read: 12 Inches Or More Of Rain Could Fall In Parts Of FL This Week Excessive runoff from the rain could flood rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations, as well as places with poor drainage and urban areas, the NWS warned. “Although upper-level winds are expected to be only marginally conducive, some slow development is possible while the system moves northeastward offshore of the U.S. Southeast coast tonight through late week,” according to the NHC. “Regardless of development, heavy rainfall is forecast to continue across portions of the Florida peninsula during the next few days.”
The invest has a 10 percent chance of development over the next 48 hours and a 20 percent chance over the next seven days. The rainfall started Monday night along parts of the west coast with the worst of the weather pummeling Southwest Florida Tuesday.
Sarasota and Bradenton experienced some of the heaviest rains Tuesday, causing widespread flooding. A record for the most rainfall in one hour was set in Sarasota Tuesday evening, WFLA reported. The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport recorded 3.93 inches of rain falling in just one hour around 7:53 p.m.
Sarasota County saw between 6 and 10 inches of rain Tuesday with the possibility of another 6 to 10 inches falling through the remainder of the week, NWS said. Many Sarasota roadways were closed Tuesday due to flooding, which stranded motorists who needed rescuing, Sarasota police wrote in a Facebook post. As of Wednesday morning, all major roadways are open, while a handful of side streets remain closed in the St. Armands area. Officers are working to clear abandoned, disabled vehicles from roads near N. Boulevard of the presidents and N. Washington Drive. Sarasota police offer the following tips to drivers during the next few days of rain:
• Buckle up and use caution on the roads.
• Whether driving or walking, any time you come across a flooded road, turn around and don’t drown.
• Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control and possible stalling.
• Go slow and give yourself extra travel time.
• If your wipers are on, your lights need to be on.
• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers. Here's the latest Tampa Bay-area forecast from the National Weather Service: